1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to hemostasis systems and methods for blood vessel puncture sites, biopsy tracts and other puncture wound sites.
2. Brief Description of the Related Art
A large number of diagnostic and interventional procedures involve the percutaneous introduction of instrumentation into a vein or artery. For example, coronary angioplasty, angiography, atherectomy, stenting of arteries, and many other procedures often involve accessing the vasculature through a catheter placed in the femoral artery or other blood vessel. Once the procedure is completed and the catheter or other instrumentation is removed, bleeding from the punctured artery must be controlled.
Traditionally, external pressure is applied to the skin entry site to stem bleeding from a puncture wound in a blood vessel. Pressure is continued until hemostasis has occurred at the puncture site. In some instances, pressure must be applied for up to an hour or more during which time the patient is uncomfortably immobilized. In addition, a risk of hematoma exists since bleeding from the vessel may continue beneath the skin until sufficient clotting effects hemostasis. Further, external pressure to close the vascular puncture site works best when the vessel is close to the skin surface and may be unsuitable for patients with substantial amounts of subcutaneous adipose tissue since the skin surface may be a considerable distance from the vascular puncture site.
Another approach to subcutaneous blood vessel puncture closure involves the delivery of non-absorbable tissue adhesives, such as cyanoacrylate, to the perforation site. Such a system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,383,899.
The application of an absorbable material such as collagen or a non-absorbable tissue adhesive at the puncture site has several drawbacks including: 1) possible injection of the material into the blood vessel causing thrombosis; and, 2) the inability to accurately place the absorbable material plug directly over the puncture site.
The use of an anchor and plug system addresses these problems to some extent but provides other problems including: 1) complex and difficult application; 2) partial occlusion of the blood vessel by the anchor when placed properly; and 3) complete blockage of the blood vessel or a branch of the blood vessel by the anchor if placed improperly. Another problem with the anchor and plug system involves reaccess. Reaccess of a particular blood vessel site sealed with an anchor and plug system is not possible until the anchor has been completely absorbed because the anchor could be dislodged into the blood stream by an attempt to reaccess.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a system capable of accurately locating the blood vessel wall and delivering a hemostasis material over a puncture site. Likewise, following percutaneous needle biopsy of solid organs it is necessary to provide hemostasis.
Percutaneous needle biopsy of solid organs is one of the most common interventional medical procedures. Millions of percutaneous needle biopsies are performed annually in the United States and throughout the world. Percutaneous biopsy is a safe procedure which has supplanted surgical biopsy for many indications, such as kidney biopsy and liver biopsy.
Possible complications of needle biopsy include bleeding at the biopsy site. The amount of bleeding is related to a number of factors including needle size, tissue sample size, patient's coagulation status, and the location of the biopsy site. Vascular organs such as the liver, a common biopsy target, may bleed significantly after needle biopsy.
Sterile sponges, such as GELFOAM, are prepared in dry sterile sheets which are used as packing material during surgery for control of bleeding. The sponge sheets are left in the surgical site after surgery to stop bleeding and are absorbed by the body. A number of techniques have used these absorbable, sterile sponge materials to plug a biopsy tract to minimize or prevent bleeding. The absorbable sponge provides a mechanical blockage of the tract, encourages clotting, and minimizes bleeding though the biopsy tract.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a reliable technique for providing hemostasis at biopsy sites or other puncture wound sites.